Improvement in stone-splitting machines



UNITED. ESTATES 'lri'rrilv'r- Orrron.

STEPHEN S. BROOKS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF HIS RIGHT TO vEDW'ARD I?. GRAY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN STONE-SPLITTINiC- MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 156,274, dated October 27, 1874 application file April 13, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SgrErHEN S. BRooKs, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improved Stone-Splitting Machine, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to a stone-splitting machine, consisting, essentially, of several square-shaped bars beveled to points at one end, arranged in line alternately withseparating-plates in top and.: bottom frames, and actuated together by suitable mechanism, so as to cause the pointed ends of these bars to close like teeth fitted to jaws on blocks of stone placed between such upper and lower frames, and by puncturing this stone with several holes simultaneously, both above and below, split it in the direction it is required to be cut or faced. f

Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of a steam-hammer, to which frames, fitted with pointed metallic bars and separating-plates, have been adjusted so as to constitute the stone-splitting machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation of a frame tted with the pointed bars and separating-plates with attachments embodying my invention. Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of Fig. 2 through the line ac w. Fig. 5 is a plan of Fig. 2.

With reference to the drawings, s s represent an ordinary steam-hammer litted with cylinder C, valve rods g g, hammer-block H, and anvil A. D D D are the drill-pieces or pointed bars, which, when arranged in single iile alternately with separating-plates E E El in upper and lower frames B B', as herein described, embody my invention for the purposes to which they are to be applied. These pieces D D D consist of short square-shaped bars of l steel, which are beveled off at the ends' that are to be exposed on all four sides equally, so as to meet at and form a point, and the angle they are thus beveled off to varies according to the nature of the rock to punctured and split. Between each of the pieces D D D a plate, E, is placed of the same breadth as these pieces, but of varying length, according to the distance the points of these drills D D D are to be kept apart so as to render them effective in splitting blocks of stone of different qualities. On two of the opposite flat faces of these drill-pieces D D and plates E E grooves u n are provided for L-shaped clamps p p', having tongues t t to fit into, so that when a single file of several such drillpieces D D and plates E E E have been arranged alternately together in a right line, these clamps may be placed,one on each side, so as to keep them in position for their proper adjustment to the hammer or anvil-block heads ,or frames B Bl in such manner that the point lof an upper drill-piece shall be exactly over and in line with that of a corresponding lower one. These frames B B are similar to one another, and each consists of a massive piece of iron, having a receptacle or groove prepared for receiving the drill-pieces D D D and separating-plates E E E with clamps p p', and is held securely by means of dovetailed projections which iit into corresponding grooves provided on the raised portions h la of the hammer and anvil block respectively.- The clamps p p are themselves securely fastened to the frames B B by means of keys K Kl and pins O O', and in order to still further hold these drill-pieces D D and plates E E E firmly, so that the drill-points may be properly adjusted, small screws s s are made to press them together through the ends of the clamps p p justabove and below the keys K K.

When these drill-pieces and separatingplates are fitted to a steam-hammer, or other suitable mechanism, the parts which are actuated so as -to meet one another have the appearance of jaws fitted with teeth which close on or bite in two parts the material to be split, and can be arranged according to the breadth or extent of the splitting required 5 for, if paving blocks are to be split, a few teeth, small separating-plates, and smaller frames, only, are necessary; whereas, if large blocks for building purposes are to be divided up, the breadth of the frame, the number of the teeth, and length of the separating-plates to keep the points apart, must be proportionately increased.

By this arrangement of drill-pieces with sep` larating-plates, as described, the sudden shock on puncturiug holes. in blocks of stone is sup- B. B and aotuated'by suitable power s .gas posed to weaken and disintegrate the stone in described, substantially as and for the purposes the line of th holes thus made, and thus Split specified. it ready for use in a rough state. 1

I claim as my invention-f- The combination of the drill-pieces D D D Witnesses: with the separating-plates E E E arrangedf HENRY C; ELAKE and adjusted to the upper and lower frames: LIONEL VARIGAS.

STEPHEN S BROOKS. 

